No matter how hard the road seems, there is always light at the end of the tunnel.” In 1987, Matt Levy was born prematurely at 25 weeks. He has cerebral palsy, is legally blind, and has had 40-50 operations on his heart, lungs, ears, and even brain. Matt is also a swimmer. You might have seen him win gold for Australia. He has competed at five consecutive Paralympic Games, winning 3 gold 1 silver, and 5 bronze medals. He’s also swam at 5 World Swimming Championships – winning 20 international medals and holding 4 World Records. Matt has a degree in Business (Management), an Australian Institute of Company Directors qualification and MBA (Leadership), as well as an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for services to sport. Buy a book or connect with Matt via his website at: www.mattlevy.com.au. This is a live recording from the inaugural AFT International Port Macquarie Sports Fitness Fest – Keynote, Sports Inclusion held in Panthers Port Macquarie on November 4, 2023 at 10:00am. Learn more about the festival here: https://sportsfitnessfestival.com
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AFT Recommends
WALK & SOLVE CLUES @ SportsFitnessFestival.com. On World Day of the Deaf September 24, over 100 participants from the Malaysia Federation of the Deaf, the Malaysian Blind Sports Association and the YWCA Kuala Lumpur went on a walking tour to unravel clues and solve the riddles on this Move8 Walk-a-Hunt adventure around Bukit Bintang and Kuala Lumpur. Team AFT recorded the video in VR360 as a part of the AFT International Sports Fitness Festival which kicked off on September 24 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with the Sydney Haymarket (Chinatown) edition launched on September 30 and Port Macquarie in the mid-north coast of New South Wales Australia launched on November 4, 2023. Subscribe and like our videos to follow us on the next virtual adventure. Get the Clues & Missions when you RSVP. Remember, 30-minutes daily walking is a good start. Thank you and keep on moving ahead – Team AFT Move8 Warriors www.move8.org.
Sports
Health
Regional Asia Pacific Updates
Public Health Announcements
- -WHO Data Report on Malaysia: link
- -Malaysia Medical Relief Society, MERCY Malaysia offers a COVID-19 psychosocial support hotline: www.mercy.org.my
- -International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Malaysia Report: link
- -Malaysia’s Red Crescent Society: link
- -Greenpeace Malaysia calls for New Environment Minister to walk the talk #HutanPergiMana: link
MALAYSIA
Useful links:
- Ministry of Health click here
- Prime Minister’s Office read more…
- Malaysia’s Ministry of Health on COVID-19 Learn more.
- Malaysia Ministry of Youth & Sports Portal Rasmi Kementerian Belia dan Sukan (kbs.gov.my)
Thailand
The Tourism Authority of Thailand has information in English, and from there you may find other related links in Thai language. Click here…
- Daily web news: Phnom Penh Post
- VOA Cambodia
- Cambodian Media Broadcasting Corporation: Cambodianess
- Cambodian newspaper since 1993: The Cambodia Daily
Hong Kong
- Data.gov.hk: link
- Hong Kong Government Leisure and Cultural Services Department: LCSD Edutainment Channel
- Hong Kong Government has a special website to cater to COVID-19 updates: Click here
- World Health Organization (WHO) on Australia: link
- Australia’s Department of Health and Aged Care: link
- Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs: link
- Australia’s Department of Home Affairs (visas & immigration): link
- Click here for the NSW Government fact sheet on Mental Health.
New Zealand
New Zealand health ministry: Ministry of Health NZ.
Sport New Zealand – Ihi Aotearoa (sportnz.org.nz)
Mental Health in New Zealand: Mental Health Foundation
Rhythm
Podcasts
AFT Podcasts present interviews and talks on sports, public health, mental health, nutritional wellness, rhythm & movement…
The Listen by Heart: Stories of Women of the South China Sea Podcast – more
Sheena Yap Chan | WSJ Bestselling Author of The Tao of Self-Confidence – read excerpt
Che Puan Sarimah Ibrahim, Irish-Malaysian International Actress talks about mental health – read interview
Amanda Nell Eu | Film Director & Screenwriter of Tiger Stripes – Cannes Critics’ Choice Winner – read interview
Su Lin Tan | Australian Journalist read interview
The Kurang Manis (Sugar, Less) Podcast – more
Dr. YokeLi Ling on Sleep and Airway Centric Dentistry – read full interview
Dr. James Muecke AM, Australian of the Year 2020 wants to put diabetes in remission – read full interview
Dr. Pran Yoganathan, gastroenterologist and hepatologist wants to put the power in his patients’ hands and provide them with data so that they can embark on their own journeys of self-healing using the philosophy of “let food be thy medicine” – read full interview
Nicol David, World No. 1 Squash Champ for 108 consecutive months was voted The World Games Greatest Athlete of All Time – read full interview
The Move8 Fitness Podcast features individuals who use their fitness for good
Listen by Heart Podcast: Stories from Women of the South China Sea
S6 [Full Podcast] | Australian journalist Su-Lin Tan
Special [Full Podcast] | A Fiction Special: Dancing to the gongs of the South China Sea (written & narrated by Jasmine H. Low)
S5 [Full Podcast] | Shivani Sivagurunathan, Author and Educator of the Indian diaspora and contemplative pedagogy
S4 [Full Podcast] | Karina Robles Bahrin, Author and Hotelier and the 2022 Epigram Book’s Fiction Prize
S3E5 Malaysian novelist Chuah Guat Eng narrates excerpts from her first Malaysia novel, Echoes of Silence
S2E6 Malaysian Folktales | Su and her natural love for swimming | Written & narrated by award-winning playwright & researcher, Dr. Ann Lee
Mission 2030
Asia Fitness Today is committed to creating awareness about “movement as therapy”, getting more people moving in support of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals #3 that promotes healthy lives and well-being. We do this by championing voices of Asia Pacific’s heroes through our website articles, podcasts and video productions. We give back to society via the Move8 Fit for Good Community so sign up and join Move8 activities and events so you can join hands in funding free movement programs for seniors and lesser-abled communities.
Sydney, Australia – What an incredible weekend! 48 Corporate Crews, 6 International/Interstate/Social Crew, 3500 paddlers and over 100,000 visitors! In Darling Harbour, the heart of scenic City of Sydney, the opening ceremony of the Sydney Lunar New Year Dragon Boats Festival held from 16-18 February 2024 featured a traditional Welcome to Country & Smoking Ceremony by Gadigal elders followed by an Eye Dotting Ceremony and Blessing of the Waters by Guests of Honour City of Sydney’s Deputy Lord Mayor Robert Kok, Acting Consul General of People’s Republic of China Yu Jie, Director of Hong Kong Economic Trade Office Trista Lim, CEO Office of Sport Karen Jones and CEO Sport NSW Stuart Hodge accompanied by CEO Dragon Boats NSW David Krantz and Chair Community Bank Darling Square Raymond Tai.
[Closed captions transcript available]
Official website: communitybanksydney.com/sydney-dragon-boat-festival/
Credits
Pont3 Jennifer Bolster, Evan Calvert, Rachael Bird
Haymarket Chamber of Commerce Vincent Lim
Emcees Dion Woo, Matt Phelps & Nicole Shore Impact 100, Oscar Sanchez-Cardenas, Mario J. Silvera, Valerie Khoo, Jasmine Low
Your Community Bank Darling Square team
Daniel Ye, Nataly Lozano Arango, Penny Bellach, Parul Raina, Andy Lee, Leon Ho, Kelly Mak
communitybanksydney.com
Executive Producers
Raymond Tai, Raymond Seeto, Vinh Lam, Ashley L., Mario J. Silvera, Valerie Khoo
Sydney Drone Footage courtesy Canva Pro Stock Library
Images Credit Community Bank Darling Square / Dragon Boats New South Wales / Kaz Watson
Music The Beat Is Gonna Set You Free Duckmaw Epidemic Sounds via Canva Pro Stock Audio
Camera | Drone | Editor Rolando Oporto
Editor | Susheel Younas
Writer | Producer | Director Jasmine Low
gointernationalgroup.com | An EQn Activation Film Studios production.
See you in 2025! Save the date 7-9 February 2025.
V8.2/180524/2000JL